If you read last week’s interview with Kristy Edmunds of CAP UCLA, you know she revealed that while Ladysmith Black Mambazo was in Los Angeles, they performed their concert at Royce Hall. There was no audience, but there were cameras. That concert will be streamed tomorrow, March 26th, at 9 PM Pacific Daylight Time.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is the South African male choral group probably best known for their collaboration with Paul Simon on Graceland. The ensemble has been together for over 50 years. They are the recipients of 5 Grammy Awards.
The group was originally scheduled to play earlier in the year at Royce Hall, but their founder, Joseph Shabalala, passed away in February. Their concerts rescheduled, Ladysmith Black Mambazo returned from his funeral in South Africa to continue their tour as Shabalala had wanted. But the realities of the COVID-19 virus meant another round of cancellations.
The concert that will be streamed on Thursday took place on March 16th and was shot with three cameras. This is the same concert they would have performed had circumstances been different.
Here’s how to watch it. You can see it on KCRW’s Facebook and YouTube pages. You can also listen to it on KCRW.
Photo of Ladysmith Black Mambazo from their Royce Hall Concert by Phinn Sriployrung/Courtesy of CAP UCLA